14 replies to this topic

[Mary-Anne]

Now that Gooserider is home, he falls asleep in his wheelchair a lot.
It is unclear how much of this is depression, or boredom,
and how much is the result of sleep disruption from having to cath every 6 hours,
and how much is the "normal" result of recovering from a traumatic injury
or normal fatigue from wheeling himself around.

However, when he falls asleep in the chair, he bends over in a way that
would give me a backache if I did it.
I suspect his lack of some trunk control is some of why he does this.

The visiting nurse seems to think that he is trying to do too much and
that he should pace himself.
And that he may be depressed.
She suggested he get out of the chair and into the bed and take a nap.

This falling asleep did not happen as much in rehab.
But then again he did less taking care of himself in rehab.

So, my questions are
1. Is falling asleep more a normal result of spinal cord injury and
2. Is there any way to make napping in the wheelchair more comfortable
and less likely to bend his back forward or sideways?

Thanks,

Mary-Anne

[Bob C]

What medications is he on. That is a possible explanation as some do make a person drowsy.

[Mary-Anne]

Bob C, on May 25 2010, 04:53 PM, said:

What medications is he on. That is a possible explanation as some do make a person drowsy.

While I do not have the list, that did not change to speak of when he was released from rehab,
so the consensus among those who express an opinion is that meds are not the cause.

[Ratticis]

Just make sure he never does it in frount of an electric heater!

[qbounce]

It could be that he had more help at the hospital to get back in bed, as opposed to at home. I'd be more concerned with his rear end and pressure sores when sleeping in the WC.

Get that boy to bed for his afternoon naps.

[Mary-Anne]

We check him for pressure sores regularly.
If the nap time was scheduled and predictable,
I would get him into bed,
but I never know when he will fall asleep.

[Smileyblue]

I have a scheduled nap time every afternoon.. Sometimes I'm not feeling sleepy, but I've learned that if I miss my nap, I become "zombiefied" later, n then I'm not much use to myself or anyone else.. In fact I've found it to be hazardous.. So between 12 and 2 every afternoon I get to bed n have a scheduled snooze.. Safer that way..
Also, if he's looking uncomfortable, he probably is.. Just coz he cant feel his back paining, it doesn't mean that it isn't.. He could still be causing strain to his back muscles.. I would really recommend starting a scheduled time to go back to bed for a nap..
Good luck.. Hope this helps.. ;-)

[E-DOG]

Children take naps. Men grab a little shut-eye now and again.
Gabapentin, baclofen. Both can be culprits when it comes to feelin' a tad sleepy. You may never know just when he's gonna knock-off for a few zee'z but maybe if he were to catch a lil' rest at a regular time each afternoon it might prevent his being tired at the wrong time.

That or a cup of steaming hot coffee. When he shuts his eyes and starts to snore simply throw the coffee in his face, he'll wake right the hell up and be rarin' to go! Or I suppose he could drink it, but coffee really isn't that good for you.

I fall asleep in the chair all the time. I'll wake up with a stiff neck, needing another beer and some pizza but that's about the total extint of the damage caused. I seem to be too fat to get pressure sores.

E

[Edinburgh Colin]

Put a couple of pillows on a table, park right up against it and let him put his head down for 40 winks on that.
We used to do that in the hospital when extending chair tolerance as you first got up and the nurses would not let you get back into bed.

A proper lie down would always be better though from a pressure point of view.

[topperf]

Edinburgh Colin, on May 26 2010, 12:55 PM, said:

Put a couple of pillows on a table, park right up against it and let him put his head down for 40 winks on that.
We used to do that in the hospital when extending chair tolerance as you first got up and the nurses would not let you get back into bed.

A proper lie down would always be better though from a pressure point of view.

This is what I do to when I can't keep my eyes open during the day, I think my back don't mind.
I do however feel even more busted when I wake again, at least for the first hour..

[allis53ca]

"It is unclear how much of this is depression, or boredom,
and how much is the result of sleep disruption from having to cath every 6 hours,
and how much is the "normal" result of recovering from a traumatic injury
or normal fatigue from wheeling himself around."

how bout "all of the above"...between meds and added work to just being out of hosp, it'll take him awhile to get used to it...and Ians right about neurontin, it alone will cause him to have to nap...look for an alternative for him, maybe try Lyrica, neurontin is hard on the insides and fogs us bad

[Tetracyclone]

Mary-Anne-

When I was first doing most things for myself I was 9 months post injury. It exhausted me and naps were essential for at least 4 months, then intermittent for several more months. You cannot imagine how difficult it is to move a little with so little nerve function and strength. I remember my first week of therapy- two hours of trying so hard to do so very little and I would fall asleep instantly when I got back to my hospital room.

My Dad's solution to sleeping in the chair was to rig a forehead band to the back of his high-backed chair. It was a strip of the fake sheepskin, covered with a soft cloth I sewed to fit, like a pillow case. he reaches back and pulls that over his forehead when he starts to drift off.

[tyvin]

I call them siestas.

I think it's better to schedule rest times then the body will adjust. The body loves consistency in sleep, bowl movements, diet, exercise, etc... Having a morning routine and a bedtime routine is a good idea for most SCI people but then their are others that don't need the afternoon sleep.

Daily activity planning is one way to discourage boredom. I do a "to do" list. It keeps me on track and I get all my stuff (small and big) done from ordering my meds to playing games (mostly brain games on the Internet).

One of my new things on my "to do" list is to come on this forum at least once daily and give a reply to a post at least once per week (forcing myself to become involved) because I'm one of those shy types but need to reach out to others like me in order to learn more about the world of SCI. So far so good on this forum.

I think it's a blessing that he can sleep the six hours; many cannot. I have to void about every 4 hrs at least (I can still pee and the urgency wakes me up). I am older and started going more often at night before my accident.

Another way of looking at it is with getting into bed at least one time in the afternoon you don't have to sleep but start with range of motion along with other exercises usually done better in bed (sit-ups ). I have a trapeze over my bed and have invented a reverse bicep curl and other upper body exercises adapted to the trapeze. And in the end the butt gets a rest .

[Ratticis]

Obviously from a pressure point pov actually getting into bed is the best, but according to my pt, the next best would be leaning forward as it shifts the weight more onto the thighs, an area that is generally relitivly left alone therefore less prone to breakdown

[edlee]

If you've ever had pressure mapping done, you would find out how right the Rat Boy is. Anything that changes the position of your upper body changes the places where the pressure is the greatest.

As for sleeping in the chair,,,, I find myself doing that a few times a week. It was more frequent when I first got home from rehab.

Look for a place somewhere in the house that has the right height,, there can be several places but really only one height that works best. I have a drawer in a bureau in the bedroom that if I pull it out and throw a pillow on it,, it is perfect.

I have set my anti tippers ( yeah,, I know,, I'm a sissy) so that I can wheelie back onto them and sit reclined. If I do it and back up against a wall or a door, I can rest my head against it and watch TV,,, which ususally puts me out for a while.

Getting back into bed and then out again is just too big a pain in the bottom. And then I stay up all night on the computer,, so where's the gain.

I think I might look into that forehead strap idea.

And,, by the way,, Lyrica has the same reference to fatigue and sleepiness in it's list of side effects as neurotin/gabapentin has. Pretty much all pain relievers and spasm reducers do.

The best thing is keeping busy.
ed